That Love Stuff
by Rowan Cookie
Summary: Everyone around them seems to know it but Lily Evans and James Potter seem oblivious to the fact that they are falling in love with each other!
1. Chapter 1

"Roses are red, Carnations are cream, God Lily Evans, You are my dream!" Amanda Fault red aloud. It was Valentine's Day and the whole of Hogwarts seemed to be in a card sending frenzy. The great hall seemed to be the centre of all this and sat at the Gryffindor table were Lily Evans and her two best friends Amanda Fault and Claire Star. The three of them were opening the pile of Valentine's day cards that lay in front of them, most of which were addressed to Lily.  
>"It doesn't say who it's from," said Claire, looking over Amanda's shoulder. Lily sighed; she didn't like all of this love stuff. Professor McGonagall stood up at the teachers table and coughed,<br>"I am pleased at announce that tonight Hogwarts will be holding its first ever Valentines ball, everyone attending must be in a pair!" The whole hall burst into life with people chatting about that evening. Lily stood up; she didn't want to be in the mix of everything.  
>"Lily, there are still some unopened cards here," Lily sighed and took the cards with her.<p>

Lily lay on her bed, opening cards,  
>"Roses are red, Violets are blue, if girls were all flowers, I'd pick you!" She said, "Seriously, no imagination at all!" Just then the girls' dorm door opened,<p>

"Lily, you know Remus Lupin, he asked me the ball!" Amanda cried, as she swanned into the room.

"And I asked Tom Harper! And he said yes!" Claire squealed. Lily rolled her eyes. This love thing wasn't for her. She slipped out of the dorm, leaving Amanda and Claire to themselves. As she walked down the stairs she bumped into a scruffy, dark haired boy,

"Watch we're you're going!" Lily cried but then she saw who she'd bumped into, "oh, it's you," James Potter laughed; the bitter tone in Lily's voice said it all.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing, hiding in the girls' dorm? I'd have thought you'd be out finding a date for tonight,"

"What's a handsome boy like you doing hiding in the common room? I'd have thought _you'd_ be out finding a date for tonight," Lily snapped back. James laughed again,

"I can't be doing with all of this love stuff; Remus has gone all gooey since he asked out Amanda...Yuck!" Lily looked at him,

"Neither can I," her bitter tone was gone, "Amanda has been just the same,"

"Maybe we should go together?" James asked, Lily looked at him,

"Are you being serious?" she questioned,

"Sure, why not, it'd be fun, we could go as friends." It was Lily's turn to laugh now,

"What? We're hardly friends…"

"No but it would still be fun." Lily nodded,

"OK, I'll think about it,"

"What is there to think about?" James asked, "You said yourself that you don't like all of this love stuff and any other offers you get will be valentine date offers." He pause "Don't tell me you're going with that Snape boy!"

"No, I am not going with Severus. He's been acting weird all week…"

"So come with me!" James cried in frustration,

"Fine, I'll see you at seven," Lily said. She turned on her heals and walked back up the stairs to her dorm. Out of the corner of her eye she saw James punch the air and she grinned to herself. "Tonight might be more fun than I first thought," Lily muttered to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

Lily looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a beautiful pastel dress. Across the chest of the dress was a pretty swirly pattern made out of silver beads. The skirt of the dress was made up if several light, pink petticoats that came down to the top of her knees. The dress was held up by a single strap covered in more silver beads at the top of the dress that wrapped around her neck. Lily's hair was curled piled up on the top her head with a silver, flower clip. Around her neck was a chain on which hung a small heart engraved with an 'L'. Lily fiddled with her necklace. She always did when she was nervous.

"Wow you look amazing Lily," Claire said as she entered the room. Claire was wearing a long, green, strapless dress. The dress was pretty plain apart from some embroidery running along the hem of the dress.

"Thanks, you look nice too." Claire smiled,

"Thanks but why are you getting dressed up? You don't like all of this love stuff do you? I thought you wouldn't be going to the ball,"

"No, I didn't think I'd go either but it's not like I'm going with an actual date," Lily said,

"Well who are you going then?"

"James Potter." Claire burst out laughing,

"You're going with James Potter!?"

"Problem?"

"No, no problem," Claire sniggered as she left the room. Lily pulled on her silver heals and left the too. She walked down the stairs to the common room. The room was nearly empty but standing by the portrait hole was James Potter. He was dressed in a black suit with a white flower through the button whole,

"Shall we?" he said offering his arm to Lily. It didn't take them long to get to the great hall. Slughorn was sitting by the door. He nodded at them as they entered. The hall was covered in beautiful decorations. Several stings of white fairy lights hung across the room and lots of pink hears floated about too. The weird sisters stood at the top of the room where the teachers table usually were. A song was just finishing as the two entered the room.

"Do you want to get a drink?" Lily asked. James looked slightly disappointed,

"Oh, I wanted to dance," he said. Lily looked slightly confused,

"I didn't like you liked all that love stuff," she teased,

"Who said dancing was a love thing?" James said taking Lily's hand,

"Me," Lily said stubbornly. James pulled Lily towards him,

"Oh come on Lily!" James said, "Lighten up, let yourself go!" James lifted up Lily's arm and twirled her about. To her surprise Lily started to enjoy herself as she flew across the dance floor. She twirled into James arms, her petticoats twirling out, just as the song finished. "Shall we get that drink now?" James asked. Lily nodded as another song started. The two of them walked over to a table by the side of the room. James picked up two cups of butterbeer and handed one to Lily. The two of them drank silently while they what other couples dance past. Amanda waltzed past with her head half berried in Remus's chest. James tipped his head back, guzzling down that last of his drink, "Do you want to dance again?" he asked. Lily frowned,

"It's a slow song James," she almost snapped, "a love stuff song!" James shrugged,

"So? A slow dance doesn't have to be a love dance!" Lily frowned, "Just try it." James pulled Lily close to him and the two of them began twirl around the floor in slow motion. They kept dancing for the next few songs and, although they didn't notice it, they were getting closer together. Another slow song started playing and James and Lily carried on dancing but this time it looked like they were dancing properly to anybody who was looking. Lily spun out of James arms and twirled into Claire.

"At least your date is going well," she said,

"Isn't yours then? – Hang on did you date?"

"Yeah,"

"I'm not on date Claire,"

"Really, you've been waltzing around with your head in James's chest for the last five minutes!" Lily's mouth fell open,

"No, I have not!" James ran over to Lily and tuck hold of her wrist,

"Sorry about that Lil," he said, "I didn't mean to send you flying." Claire shuck her head,

"I'll let you get back to your…dancing!"


	3. Chapter 3

"You're not a bad dancer Evans," James said as they walked out of the great hall,

"You're not bad either Potter," Lily replied.

Lily turned to walk up the stairs to go back to Gryffindor common rooms but James grabbed her wrist,

"Where are you going?" He asked,

"Back to the dormitories,"

"Why? We could go for a walk down by the lake or something," Lily shuck her head,

"You know I'm really starting to doubt that you don't like this love stuff,"

"What?" James cried,

"A romantic walk James, seriously?"

"It doesn't have to be romantic Lily, it's up to you how loved up you make it," Lily frowned at James who sighed, "Just come on!"

The two of them wander out of the castle front door and down toward the lake. "Did you enjoy tonight?" James asked. Lily nodded,

"It wasn't bad," The two of them sat down by the side of the lake,

"That makes it sound like it wasn't very good," James sighed. Lily smiled,

"It was good. The point I was trying to make was it was better than I was expecting." James frowned at Lily,

"You're digging yourself a hole Lily,"

"I wasn't trying to," Lily said with a giggle. James smiled,

"I know."

The two of them sat gazing out over the lake for a while. Until James dipped his hand in the lake and scooped up a handful of water. He cupped his hands together and squirted the water at Lily who squealed,

"What was that for?" Lily cried,

"Well there's only so long you can spend gazing into space,"

"Is that so?" Lily giggled as she dragged her hand through the water splashing James,

"Oh it's like that is it?" James laughed, he stood up and jumped into the lake, splashing Lily as he landed. Lily threw water at James but he jumped out the way and ran deeper into the water,

"Oh, you don't get away that easily!" Lily laughed as she kicked off her shoes and ran into the cold water after James.

The two of them ran deeper into the lake, trying to splash each other as they went. James stopped running once he was standing in the centre of the lake. He turned and grinned at Lily,

"Seen as I seem to have got you so many more times than you've got me you can have a free shot!" Lily raised her eye browns but she didn't say anything. She dipped her hands into the water and dragged up as much water as she could, splashing James who just laughed,

"Not bad Evans," He said, "now come here and I'll carry you back to shore!" Lily frowned but it soon turned into a giggle,

"Despite what you say you really are a romantic aren't you Potter?" James shuck his head as an attempt to brush Lily off,

"Just come here, we wouldn't want to ruin that dress now would we?"

"Oh yeah because running through a lake while your splashing me totally hasn't ruined it already!" The two of them looked down at the hem of Lily's dress. It came down to just above the waterline.

James sighed and walked over to Lily then scooped her up in his arms.

"You're so romantic," She giggled, grapping hold of James shoulder so as to steady herself. James rolled his eyes,

"No I'm not," He argued back. Lily smiled,

"Oh yeah? Well you just better hope nobody can see this!"

James walked back to shore carrying Lily in his arms. He emerged from the water a carefully placed Lily down on the grass.

"I'm all wet," He murmured sadly, looking down at himself,

"What did you expect?" Lily replied sarcastically. James stuck his tongue out and Lily returned the gesture.

"You're feet are all muddy," James commented after a moment,

"So are yours," Lily replied,

"Yes but I have shoes on and you don't," Lily shrugged,

"It doesn't matter, I'll wash them when we get back," She said,

"Yes but you'll have to walk back with muddy feet," James said, "So would you like me to carry you back?" Lily frowned at James,

"No I do not," She snapped, "That is really going to stop this from looking like a romantic walk," Lily picked up her shoes and strapped them to her feet.

"Fine, I was only offering as I imagine it's hard to walk in heals anyway let alone when you're feet are muddy too!" Lily stood up and took a step towards the castle,

"How thoughtful of you. Now, shall we head back?" James nodded and stepped in the same direction as Lily.

The two of them walked back in silence, through the front door and up to the Gryffindor common room.

"Goodnight Lily Evans," James said as the were about to go their separate ways,

"Goodnight James Potter," She replied with a smile and then they headed off to their separate dormitories.


	4. Chapter 4

Lily awoke the next morning to an empty room.

"Great," She cried, glancing at the clock on her bedside table. She leapt out of bed and quickly got dressed.

She hurried out of the dormitory and common before running down to the great hall.

Lily slipped into a seat next to Claire and grabbed a piece of toast,

"So tell us about last night," Claire cried as soon as Lily sat down,

"Yeah, what happened after you left last night?" Amanda said very eagerly.

"Nothing happened,"

"Come on something must have happened," Claire said,

"No,"

"Oh come on you must have done something, even if it was only walking," Amanda said, unwilling to except that nothing happened,

"Well we had a water fight…" Both Claire and Amanda's faces changed from a very eager look to a somewhat disapproving one.

"Really?" Amanda sighed,

"Seriously Lil? You could have been kissing James Potter yet you chose to have a childish game!"

"What?" Lily cried, doing almost a double take, "I do not want to kiss James!" Claire and Amanda both gave each other a knowing look and Lily rolled her eyes, "I don't, anyway tell me what happened to you two last night."

Just as Lily had hoped, this drew the attention away from James and herself,

"Well Tom was being really nice until his stupid friends turned up and then he started acting like he didn't know me!" Claire grumbled, pulling a weird face at the same time,

"Well my night was much better," Amanda started, no sooner than Claire had finished, "Remus was really sweet all evening. He's taking me to Hogsmeade on Saturday, you and James should come with us – you know as a double date!"

Lily glared at Amanda,

"I am not dating James Potter," she said slowly. Both Claire and Amanda raised their eyebrows as if to say they didn't believe her.

Lily's eyes narrowed and then she loudly stood up. She couldn't take it anymore. Claire and Amanda were supposed to be her friends yet they didn't believe a word she said!

Lily grabbed what was left of her toast and then swept out of the hall. A quick glance at her watch told her that she still had a little bit of time before she had to be at potions so she headed back towards the Gryffindor common room.

The room was pretty much empty as Lily walked in, everyone was at breakfast, so she sat down in a large chair by the fire place and took out her charms essay. It wasn't due in until the next day but she figured that she may as well do it while she had some time. Suddenly she was interrupted,

"Evans," Lily looked up to see Sirius Black standing over her,

"Black," She retorted,

"What happened last night?" He demanded, Lily rolled her eyes,

"I don't see how that is any of your business," she replied through gritted teeth,

"Well I am James's best friend…"

"So ask James,"

"He got annoyed when I asked him," Lily smirked to herself, it would seem that James friends were being the same as her friends,

"You should take that as a hit,"

"Awww, so sorry your date went badly," Sirius said, changing his tone of voice. Lily glared at Sirius,

"It wasn't a date!" Sirius pause momentarily before saying,

"Sorry your evening went badly." Lily frowned, "Well if you don't want to talk about it that tends to mean that whatever it was went badly," Sirius explained quickly. Lily nodded. She guessed that was better than everyone thinking it was a date.

"Thank, I think. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go to potions."


End file.
